Shafee: Raja Petra’s Sarbaini claims nonsense

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) lawyer has dismissed as nonsense the claims of Raja Petra Kamarudin regarding the death of Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed.

Datuk Seri Shafee Abdullah told The Malaysian Insider that most of the witnesses and forensic experts in the ongoing coroner’s inquest into how the Selangor Customs assistant director fell to his death at the Kuala Lumpur MACC office on April 6 have so far ruled out both suicide and homicide.

“Raja Petra is talking nonsense. I believe this allegation will not affect the inquest. He is history,” Shafee (picture) said of the Malaysia Today news portal editor.

Raja Petra had alleged on his website yesterday that Ahmad Sarbaini fell accidentally from the third-floor pantry window of the Kuala Lumpur MACC office after being forced onto the ledge by a senior MACC investigator.

The popular blogger claimed the investigator was incensed that the Customs man wanted to retract his earlier confession, allegedly obtained under duress, and punished Ahmad Sarbaini by making him stand on the ledge.

He further claimed that the MACC investigator convened a “conference” with his colleagues to “brainstorm and concoct the most plausible story” to protect their careers.

“Raja Petra has nothing left to talk about, no credibility and not even accepted by the opposition,” Shafee said.

The high-profile lawyer said it was impossible for Ahmad Sarbaini to stand on the window itself as claimed by Raja Petra.

“If Raja Petra can do it, then I want to see him try,” he said.

Up to yesterday, Raja Petra had written a seven-part series on Malaysia Today alleging that Ahmad Sarbaini death was caused by the anti-graft body’s officers.

As a result of yesterday’s post, Ahmad Sarbaini’s family will lodge a new police report.

The family’s lawyer Awtar Singh said police must reinvestigate the case as it was “impossible” for Ahmad Sarbaini to fall from the third-floor window of the MACC office in Jalan Cochrane here on his own accord.

He added that the family might ask the inquest to return to the scene of Ahmad Sarbaini’s death to re-enact a likely scenario of what might have happened.

Some 27 witnesses have so far testified in the inquest up to July 15, including DSP Sharul Othman Mansur who said that Ahmad Sarbaini did not commit suicide nor was he murdered.

The forensics officer said that Ahmad Sarbaini tried to jump to a badminton court but failed and fell to his death.

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